In the morning, Hannah was pleased to find that the shower in Doctor O’Hara’s home was not too different from a shower back home. The water felt equally refreshing pouring down her back and cleaning away the dust from the storage room where she had landed. A knock on the door let her know her host was awake as well.

“Breakfast is downstairs whenever you’re through,”” Chell called through the door. “I’ve found some clothes that look about your size and put them on your bed.”

“Thank you,” she called back. “I’ll be down shortly.” She finished washing up and wrapped herself in a towel before exiting the loo. To her dismay, on the bed was a dress. She scowled when she remembered that her own clothes were currently being washed, and no matter what planet she was currently on, she didn’t want to walk about in pajamas. She regretfully dropped the towel and pulled on the dress and leggings.

To her surprise, the dress was actually comfortable. It fit her body shape better than any she had ever been forced to wear for formal occasions in her past. And, wait, yes! She couldn’t help but grin. There were pockets. Deep pockets, too. She supposed this would do. Still barefoot, she padded down the stairs, following her nose to the blissful smell of breakfast.

“I was never good at history, but did you have pancakes where you came from?” Chell asked as she set a plate on the countertop.

Hannah hopped up on one of the high stools. “Pancakes are my favourite thing for breakfast.” She picked up her utensils and immediately cut a piece. After taking a bite, she smiled at her host. “Good to know some things never change.”

Chell laughed. “Indeed.” She turned off the hob and sat down with her own plate. “Well, the night staff at the museum reported no change in the portal. They actually didn’t even know it had been activated; it looked the same as it always had to them. So the next step is trying to determine why you are here. I can’t think of a scientific reason for you being pulled through, so there must be a divine reason.”

Still with a mouth full of pancakes, Hannah raised her eyebrows. “I’m surprised that as a scientist you would turn to religion as a possibility.”  

“Well it’s that old saying: when you have eliminated the probable, whatever remains, no matter how impossible, must be the truth. And since the discovery of the portals, there have been a lot of impossible things. Besides, time travel is not possible through portals, but that’s exactly what you did. No scientist in the Phoenix Cluster knows how to do that.”

“So where are we going to find out why I’m here?” She didn’t expect that they could just ask these deities for answers. It hardly worked in the stories, and even less often in real life.

“We will try the temple first. They usually know if there is a message from a deity that ought to be heard. And it gives me an excuse to say hi to a friend.”

“Sounds like a plan.”

After a  relaxing breakfast, Hannah followed the doctor to the temple. It was close enough that they were able to walk and Hannah got a small tour of the area. It was surprisingly similar to the posh neighbourhood a few blocks over from where she grew up. There were rows of elaborate houses, each unique in its own style, and all with perfectly manicured lawns. It didn’t look artificial, but Chell informed her it was just a popular trend among the upper middle class. The local greenery on this planet was more like a moss.

But then the houses became smaller and the lawns gave way to rock gardens. They waved to a couple of young families also out for a morning walk, either to school or just for fresh air. And then as they turned the corner Hannah saw the temple, for it really couldn’t be anything else.

A spire, reaching up to the heavens, dominated the structure of the building which seemed to radiate out from the centre. Flying buttresses held up the peaked dome that in turn supported the spire. Within the arches formed by the buttresses were hanging mirrors, rotating in the slight breeze and casting out the sun’s light in all directions. Although she supposed it might not be called ‘the sun’ here. Wasn’t that an odd thought.

But her mind was more preoccupied with the design of the temple. Chell smiled and didn’t rush Hannah as she slowed her pace to take in everything. It actually forced the scientist to look at the building again in a new light. She supposed the style was fairly unique if you were not from this planet. But to her it was just another one of the fifty-seven buildings some crazy architect designed in the two years before he died. He claimed that he was so close to death that he could see the buildings in heaven and was inspired by them. Chell thought his drug habits were finally catching up with him.

“I’m sorry,” Hannah said. “I can get very distracted by architecture. You should have stopped me.”

“It’s not a problem. We are in no rush. Shall we continue inside? There’s much more to admire in there while we wait for my friend.”

The glass doors gently slid open as they approached and walked inside. Acolytes of many ages and coloured robes were roaming the hallways. An older one walked over to them.

“How may we help you ladies?” He asked.

“I was hoping to speak with Father Carame, is he available?”

“He should be at this hour. Shall I lead you to his office?”

“No, thank you,” she replied with a smile. “I know the way. Follow me, Hannah.”

Chell strode up to a small wooden door. A brief knock and, without waiting for an answer, she walked in. An elderly halfling, leaning heavily on a walking staff had just risen out of his chair and was on his way to the door. “Chell, of course it’s you,” he said. “You never wait for me to open the door.”

“It takes too long and you won’t let any of your assistants do it for you.” She gestured to the ten others in the big room, all seated at desks and more than capable of opening a door.

“That’s because assistants are neither slaves nor butlers. But come in, have a seat. Introduce me to your companion.”

They sat down at the clear table near the edge of the room. Father Carame keeping one eye on the rest of the room as he sat back down in his chair. “This is Hannah. She was pulled through a portal we thought to be inactive. And she was pulled from the original Earth.”

“Truly?”

“Truly. I found it hard to believe at first too, but it’s what happened so I thought maybe you would know if there was a reason she was brought here.”

The Father turned his attention to Hannah. She fought the urge to squirm under the intensity of his gaze. He hummed softly as he stared.

“There is something of a divine nature about your aura,” he said after a few moments. “But that could be due to a number of reasons. Anything from being destined for the cloth or being descended from a demigod. Those with magic usually have a touch of it as well; you don’t have any magic, do you?”

“I don’t think so,” she said. “My friends and I have occasionally joked that the automatic doors open faster for me, but I never really believed in magic.” She shrugged. “I guess that is another thing that I will have to reconsider.”

“Indeed.” He hummed again. “Hold out your hands please.” She did so and he inspected the backs of her hands, rubbing at the tendons.

“Isn’t it more common to read a person’s palms?” she asked.

“Silly girl, it is only charlatans who claim to be able to read a person’s future from their palms. Complete fop, falsehood, utter lies. Never believe them. It is the back of the hands that sometimes can tell a skilled reader about one’s path in life. Not always, mind you, but in this case I believe I may be able to offer some advice.” He released her hands and she placed them back in her lap. “You should join the Guild.”

Hannah waited to see if there was an explanation forthcoming, but apparently not. “What is the guild?”

“The Guild is the starting point for adventures,” Chell explained before turning back to her friend. “Is she destined for an adventure?”

“There are signs pointing to a prophecy mentioning the assembly of a group of adventurers from far reaching places and I can think of no further reach than eons in our past. Perhaps she is meant to be a part of this quest. There is only one way to tell, Hannah.”

“And what if I am not the right person?”

“Then you will simply enjoy another adventure. Either way, I can tell you are destined for adventure.”

“It was more than enough adventure just getting here,” she muttered.

Chell patted her arm in comfort. “How about we go and get some lunch?” She stood. “Thank you very much Carame.”

“Anytime Chell. You must come back for tea some time. My chess pieces have not seen good competition in far to long.”

Chell laughed. “Well then you are holding back when you teach your assistants.” With another thank you, the women left the room.

“Master?” one of the younger assistants asked once the sound of their footsteps had receded into the distance.

“Yes, Anton?”

“Why didn’t you tell them of the Great Prophecy? Even I know she is destined to be a part of the Five.”

“The church has made mistakes in the past when we tell people of their prophecies. It is best to let them fulfill it in ignorance. Too much stress otherwise. And no foolish ones trying to rebel. Everything is much smoother this way.”

Next Chapter: Chapter 7